British components in North Korean rockets, UN finds.

Sanctions against the secretive state have not stopped it from sourcing parts from the UK, US and South Korea for its rockets.

North Korean rocket Unha-3, carrying the satellite Kwangmyongsong-3, lifting off from the launching pad in Cholsan county, North Pyongan province in North Korea.

North Korea built the Unha-3 rocket, one of the most important missiles in its arsenal, using British, American and South Korean components, United Nations experts have concluded.

The missile also contains off-the-shelf parts from Switzerland and China, as well as parts of Russian Scud missiles.

The majority of the parts, the UN said, did not contravene sanctions and their use “shows the ability of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) to assemble complex systems with globally sourced components”.

The Unha-3, a three-stage missile which was first unveiled when it was used to launch a satellite into space in December 2012, is the closest that North Korea has come to developing a missile which can deliver a nuclear warhead to the west coast of America.

The analysis from the United Nations, released earlier this month, came just beforeNorth Korealaunched two medium-range Rodong ballistic missiles into the sea on Tuesday. The UN security council is planning a closed door meeting on Thursday to discuss a response.